


Coming out to your Nakama

by naturegirl293



Series: Queer Piece [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Family, Found Family, Gen, Genderqueer Character, Lesbian Nami (One Piece), Non-Binary Brook, Trans Male Character, Trans Vinsmoke Sanji, Transgender
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2020-06-12 12:05:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19570837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naturegirl293/pseuds/naturegirl293
Summary: Multi-chapterHow Sanji comes out as trans to The Crew.





	1. Chapter 1

It's not that he's trying to keep it a secret. He just doesn't know how to bring it up or undo years of conditioning.

It's not until Drum Island that any progress is made. 

~~~

Chopper has brought all three patients to separate rooms to be treated. Doctorine is treating the woman and the frostbitten boy has been wrapped in blankets an set by the fire. His third patient needs a back brace and bandaging for broken ribs. He has to cut the clothes off to prevent further damage to his patients back. He has already cut off his jacket and shirt when he finds something he's not sure about. There is a tight fitting half shirt thing across the torso. Chopper only hesitates for a moment before cutting that off too and proceeding with the treatment. 

~~~

"Doctorine?" Chopper ask from the wrong way around a corner.

"What?"

"The patient with the back injury, they were wearing something to compress their chest. Is it something for a previous injury? or...?"

*sigh* "No Chopper. It is a device used for mental health purposes. Sometimes people can be caused great distress because their appearance does not match what they feel they should be. There's a book around here somewhere."

~~~

Sanji is staring at a reindeer? Maybe? It's sticking out from behind the door staring at him.

"D-don't you move you asshole. You have a spinal fracture and 6 broken ribs!"

He had wanted to sit up, but after hearing that decides it's probably better not too. He wiggles a bit to take stock of any aches and pains. It's then that he realizes that his chest is bare except for tightly wrapped bandages.

"I-i'm sorry but it had to come off for treatment." Chopper says holding up Sanji's binder. "I tried to fix it"

It's been cut in two places and crudely stitched back together. It's ruined.

"Shit"

"I-im sorry. Is it bad?

...your dysphoria?"

Before he can even think how to answer that.

"MEAT!!!!!!!!" *BOOM* *CRASH*

~~~

Chopper is staring at Doctor's Flag when he hears,

"You know with Nakama like these, it's not so bad."

He turns to look at Sanji.

"Huh?"

"Your question from before. I know, without a doubt, that they don't care what I am. They care that i am happy with who i am."

Sanji looks at him and give him a huge smile, he can't help but smile back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nami finds out

He's lucky really. They have come across an island with a bustling town just as Chopper was starting to suspect that he had been lying about the rib pain. Hes felt fine for at least a week or two, but he has no replacement for the binder that Chopper cut up.

Sanji is fairly sure he can find a new binder in this town, however the lovely Nami-swan has everyone's money and refuses to let ever a single Belli out of her sight. 

As soon as they are ashore Nami-swan heads straight for the largest building in sight. As always her instincts prove infallible as they end up in what is probably the only department store in this half of the Grandline.

~~~

"Sanji-kun hold these."

Nami tosses the bags without even looking. She knows Sanji would never drop her things. There are so many cute outfits! She can't wait to have Vivi try on all of these tops with her! ;P She has already grabbed a few new things for the boys and stocked up on appropriate Alabasta aparrel.

She finds an absolutely hideous top with a green monster on it while browsing and spins around to ask Sanji what he thinks, just to tease him.

But for once and maybe the first time ever Sanji isn't hovering right behind her. He's easy to spot, just off to the left and across the aisle. Standing in the ladies underwear section.

"Sanji-kun" Nami said lowly, "what the hell do you think your doing???"

As Nami stalks over to him she sees him snach his hand away from where he had been reaching and spins to face her.

"N-nami-swan! I wasn't! I would never...! I was just..um..."

She catches up to him as he rambles off excuses and sees what he had been reaching for. Binders, to compress ones chest, a chest that Sanji, now that she really thinks back, has been hiding. It takes her longer than she would ever admit to process the information she's been given. There are so many moments from that past that make so much more sense now. Little glimpses of something from under Sanjis shirt, the way he is always changing or bathing long before or after anyone else, the full suit all the time, the over compensating flirtation/obsession with women.

"Nami-san?" 

Nami has never seen Sanji make a face like he is making right now and she quickly decide she never wants to see it again.

Nami walks over to the rack of binders and starts looking at varieties and sizes.

"What size do you wear Sanji-kun?"

This get Sanjis face to change instantly, instead of scared (he should never be afraid of his Nakama) his face turns beet red.

"I-i didn't mean...I shouldn't have... It not that I don't..."

"Sanji-kun. I'm not upset. Telling people, even your family, that your different than they thought you were... it's hard. I know I haven't been very subtle about liking women. But I wasn't always so loud about it, I didn't tell Nojiko until after Arlong."

"...Thank you Nami-san. I-I trust all of you so much and I know you all would never treat me any differently, but I didn’t know what to say."

"You're welcome Sanji-kun. I’m sure you’ll figure it out when you’re ready. Now what size should I pick out?"

"...I don't actually know."

~~~

"Nami-san you really didn't need to buy me so many."

They're finally leaving the store with their bounty of 5 different binders in different colors and styles. Sanji has only even had one or two at a time so he really does know what to do with all of this. 

"I want you to have options Sanji-kun! And don't think that I bought all of this for free, you can always pay me back later ;)"

"Yes Nami-swan" Sanji Sighs.


	3. Chapter 3

They're getting close to Alabasta. The Summer heat has been unrelenting for the last day or so, and today is no exception. Today everyone is stripped down to the bare minimum, which means Nami-swan and Vivi-chwan are lounging beautifully in their bikinis!<3 <3 The rest of them are sprawled out in the shade in shorts, occasionally shoving and fighting lazily over the coolest spot.

Sanji is wrapping up the finishing touches on some iced mint lemonade and chilled tarts. The kitchen is sweltering, however Sanji is still fully dressed.

As he gathers up a platter to carry out the treats he finds himself starting out the window at everyone. He is so hot and he is the only one left with a shirt on. At this point he feels like he would be more out of place with his shirt on than off. 

The thought catches him off gaurd. It makes him freeze. He hasn't been shirtless in front of people as long as he can remember, but this feels different. He trusts these people, he can be himself with his family.

Before he can over think it and change his mind, he holds on to that determination and strips off his shirt. He has his black binder on, so there will be no subtly to this move. 

He quickly gathers up the snacks on to the tray, lights up a cigarette to calm his nerves, and heads out.

No one gasps or even reacts at all to him emerging from the galley. Encouraged, he sweeps over to the ladies to make sure they get their snacks before the animals can get there hands all over them. 

Nami-swan looks up as he approaches, her eyes scan over his torso and she gives him a proud smile as she takes the lemonade and tarts.

"Thank you Sanji-kun! This smells delicious!"

Vivi-chwan takes a glass as well, but the look on her face is one of confusion and deep thought. Before Sanji can even begin to think about that a shout erupts from behind him.

"SANJI! I want some!!!"

He turns ready to fend off grabby rubber hands, but finds instead big pouty eyes starting at him from the shade of Merry's sails. He chuckles and joins the rest of these bastard in the shade. He passes out the rest and settles down against the mast to enjoy one himself.

He is afriad but surveys the group anyways. Luffy predictably already has brain freeze from sucking down the chilled lemonade too quickly and is failing about. Usopp is savoring his tart while sending not too subtle glances Sanjis way. Chopper flat on his back with his straw just barely reaching into the drink on the ground beside him. He looks overheated but is clearly trying hard to repress a big smile. 

Zoro is staring straight at Sanji. Sanji stares right back. After a minute Zoro looks out towards the crew and then scoffs at him, as if saying "what was there to be afriad of, idiot".

Offended Sanji kicks Zoro in the shin. Zoro smacks his leg with his sheathed sword. Both are too hot and tired to do anything more.

~~~~~

The breeze out on the deck feels great, Sanji is so happy to feel the wind on his back without fear. No one really says anything about this new development aside from a few curious glances and/ or an encouraging smile.

They spend the day relaxing in Merry's shade playing word games or telling stories. It's during a lull after one of Usopps rediculous stories that anyone actually says anything.

~~~~~

Luffy is hot. It's too hot to do anything fun. He is staring up Merry's mast not thinking much of anything. 

Their flag is waving in the light breeze. Their flag is black. Black like Sanji's shirt thing. 

Who knows if it's the heat or that's just how Luffys brain works, but an idea comes to him.

"We should put our Jolly Rodger on it."

"Huh??" Usopp replys, "on what??"

"Sanji's shirt!!"

Sanji chokes on the ice cube he had been eating and Nami stifles a giggle.

"It's black like our flag, so we should put our mark on it!"

"That would be super cool!" Chopper exclaims.

"Well Sanji, what do you think?" Usopp asks, smiling kindly.

It take Sanji a minute to stop choking, and he is silent for a minute after, thinking. 

"Yeah. Sure. That's fine." 

He is uncomfortable with all of the attention brought to it, but he can't deny Luffy anything. He looks so excited about his idea and it would look super cool.

"Alright! I wanna paint it!" Luffy shouts.

Several variations of "Hell No" reply.

~~~~~

Usopp fetches his supplies and sits at Sanjis back.

"Ready?" Usopp asks.

"Yeah, go ahead" Sanji says.

Sanji is conflicted. It's embarrassing to be under so much attention without his shirt, but he feels no shame or dysphoria. Everyone keeps smiling at him like they are thanking him for presenting an opportunity to do something fun. Like it was because he exists this way that made today so great. He blushes at that thought. 

"Ooooh Usopp! That's looks so cool! I want it too!"

"Yeah, yeah. Alright Sanji all done! Take a look!"

Usopp says and holds out a hand mirror. Sanji turn his head to look, it does look really cool.

"Hey Zoro! We should put one on your bandanna!" 

"Eeeh? I don't know Luffy, he'll never looks as cool as me."

"Haaaa?!?!"

~~~~~

Chopper runs over with an armful of black clothes ready for Usopp to paint, Luffy talks Nami and Vivi into joining in on the painting party, and Zoro and Sanji fight over something stupid, while both avoid smuging the still wet Jolly Roger on Sanjis back.


	4. Chapter 4

Brook has been with the crew for just over a week now. During this time he has learned much about his new Nakama. Nami will put you into lifelong (yohohoho, although i am already dead) debt just for startling her at night. Robin is even more morbid than a living skeleton. Luffy sometimes gets tangled up in his own limbs if he’s too hyper.

However, it’s Sanji that has him most curious. He has seen that Sanji wears a top to conceal breasts and knows that Sanji always bathes separately from the rest of the crew. He also knows that Sanji wants to be called He and presents a strongly masculine front. There is an obvious answer to these observations, but such a thing was considered rather taboo during his time. He has of course heard of such a thing, he is a pirate after all, but the images it conjures is a much more dramatic transformation. 

It’s these thoughts that bring him to the kitchen while Sanji is preparing dinner. Brook has been watching Sanji flit about the kitchen efficiently cooking up what would seem to be an enormous amount of food for almost an hour before he speaks.

“Sanji-san would it be alright if i asked you a personal question?”

“Hmmm? Sure go ahead.”

“...You … are a man now, but this wasn’t always the case?”

Sanji scoops what he was chopping into a pot and turns the temperature down low before casually spinning to look at Brook. He considers Brook for a moment and makes an aborted movement toward his pack of cigarettes. 

“That’s right.”

“...” Brook hesitates “How did you know that being a man was what you wanted?”

Sanji raises a curly eyebrow at the question and sighs. 

“I hated myself. The hair, the pronouns, the chest, I wanted nothing to do with them. On my body at least. The less like the girl I looked and felt the more I liked myself.”

“I see…”

“... you know it was my father that eventually pointed it out to me. He said that I could choose my gender. He even told me i could change my mind later if that's what i wanted.”

“Hmmm…” Brook says quietly. 

Brook is silent for a while after that, his chin resting in his hands elbows on the table. Thoughtful. Sanji returns to prepping for dinner. 

~~~~

Shortly before dinner is ready Brook speaks again. 

“Sanji-san do you think it's … alright to feel like neither a man nor a woman?... or maybe either?”

“Yes, i think that’s fine. With bastards like these I think you could be anything you like. A guy wielding a sword in his mouth, a cyborg in a speedo, a skeleton that isn’t a man or a woman. Doesn’t seem so strange to me.” Sanji smiles. 

And though a skeleton has no lips Brook smiles too.  
“Yohohoho!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brook is Gender fluid. Being queer in his time was more taboo, so he hadn't even considered the possibility until now. 
> 
> The next bit is going to have some major changes. time for Sanji to go on a shitty field trip


End file.
